


Heat

by reillyblack



Category: Supernatural
Genre: ABO Big Bang, ABO Big Bang 2014, ABOBB, All the dragons, Alpha Castiel, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Big Bang Challenge, Double Penetration, Dragon!Cas, Fuck Or Die, Knotting, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Omega Dean, Rimming, Sexism, alpha!cas, also pretty fluffy, dragon!dean, dubcon, due to his situation, even though Dean angsts a lot, lots of dragon culture, lots of dragon rituals, nsfw artwork, nsfw images, ok very fluffy, omega!dean, the sex is pleasurable for both but Dean isn't really in a position to consent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 08:41:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2382041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reillyblack/pseuds/reillyblack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dean - beautiful, strong, and next in line for Chief of the Earth Clan Dean - presents as an extremely rare male omega, he's devastated. He'd trained all his life to inherit his father's leadership role, but now due to old traditions he must choose between the right to bear and raise his own children or lead the clan. Beyond that, heats for unmated omegas are dangerous and often deadly, so he must choose a mate before his next heat. Castiel, in love with Dean since they were both little dragonlings, fights for the chance to fill that dire need.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Paxdracona](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paxdracona/gifts).



> There's some emphasis on child bearing and traditional omega roles in this fic, which I did intend to be taken as a metaphor for forcing women into traditional gender roles, but hopefully my depiction of Dean's experience makes it clear that I don't support that attitude. Also, pay attention to the dubcon tag. The sex is pleasurable, but given the fuck or die situation Dean can't REALLY consent. 
> 
> NSFW artwork, so maybe don't read it in the middle of the library ;)

 

 

* * *

 

 

This is my first Big Bang fic, and I can't believe I actually managed to wait months to post this, but the art made it totally worth it.  What a great experience. Thanks to the folks at [ ABOBB ](http://abo-bigbang.livejournal.com)for putting this on.

Huge thank you to [watchingpornwithcas ](http://watchingpornwithcas.tumblr.com) for betaing this at the last minute!

ENORMOUS thank you to Paxdracona for the beautiful art!  I could not love it more.  Check out the [ masterpost ](http://paxdracona.livejournal.com/11636.html)for the art featured in this story, as well as her [art tumblr](http://scribblyscratch.tumblr.com) and main [tumblr](http://paxdracona.tumblr.com)! 

 

* * *

 

Dean had to admit that if he was going by looks alone in a future mate, Castiel was magnificent. His scales, especially, were magnificent: the middle-of-the-sky iridescent in the firelight of the many torches, almost opal-like in the way they reflected different smatterings of light.  He was smaller than Benny, the russet dragon crouched low to the ground twenty feet off and growling at him in a low rumble, but he was definitely more toned.  His midsection was thick, the muscles visible when he moved, and his movements were as graceful as water flowing around stones, even though the monstrous royal blue wings folded over his back marked him clearly as a dragon of the Sky Clan.

The sapphire dragon was relatively calm as Benny started to circle, still snarling at him, flecks of spittle between his sharp teeth visible even from Dean’s distance.  The mingled crowd of Earth and Sky dragonlings cheered on the brawl with fists pumped in the air to a chorus of roars that echoed off the walls of the enormous cavern.  Most of the Sky dragonlings were perched in the high, porous holes in the organic cavern, wings outstretched for balance as they watched the match.  The Earth dragonlings, Dean’s clan, perched on rocks and stood on the sturdy ground, making up for their lack of wings in sheer rowdiness as they hollered and edged the dragons in the sandy ring.  

Dean had more standards for his mate than just looks, though, so he was cheering for Benny, his best friend, in this match.  Of course, when he screamed, “kick his ass, Benedict,” he earned a cuff to the ears from his father, who was sitting next to him on the rich tapestry laid out over the higher up rocks by the arena, and a disapproving frown.  He was supposed to be neutral toward the fight and its outcome, or at least appear to be, but neutrality was a lot harder to accomplish when Castiel’s victory meant he would be married off to live with a completely different clan than the one he’d grown up in, the one with all his friends and loved ones.  

When his heat hit two weeks ago, he’d immediately sunk into a depression.  He’d been groomed to live as an alpha his whole life, trained as a warrior and a chieftain.  He was next in line for leader of the entire Earth Clan.  His heat stole all that away in one final, fell swoop.  It wasn’t unusual for men to hit their ruts later in life, 18-25 was pretty typical for male alphas, so Dean had never suspected his extremely rare gender presentation.  The slick leaking down his thigh and dizzying temperature hike in his body proved him wrong, though.

Castiel was the first, and on of the only, offers they received from other clans. Dean had been all for inter-clan mating back when he thought he was an alpha and he’d been vying for the attention of Lisa, a gorgeous, _bendy_ dragonling from the Fire Clan, the clan of his mother. In the omega position, he hated the mating rituals and the very idea of other people fighting over ownership of him. Besides, Lisa had instantly sent a formalized message declining his advances mere days after word spread of his newly realized omega standing.  In her letter, she apologized for her shift in attitude toward him, naming her desire to have her own children as one of the reasons their “circumstances” had changed. As an omega, he would be barren with another omega dragon, which was just one in the long line of blows his heat brought with it: he could now get _pregnant,_ andnot only was he capable of it but it was the _only_ way he could reproduce.  As a bonus, birth was supposed to be exceptionally painful and deadly for male omegas due to their narrower hips, and “more likely to die” wasn’t super attractive in a potential mate, apparently. Top that off with his loss of his future position as leader of the clan – either forfeit it to Sam or forfeit his rights to have his own children because of some ancient law for Chiefs, and Dean had to admit he desired children more – and he was downright miserable.  The most energy he’d been able to muster since he finished that awful heat, which other omegas in his clan assured him would improve dramatically as soon as he found a mate, he used to shout, “kick his ass, Benedict!”

Unfortunately, the sapphire dragon was obviously winning.  Benny was a great warrior, but Castiel’s swift, precise fighting style clearly bested the larger dragon’s bellow-and-charge method. Dean stood up to scream in dismay as the sapphire dragon finally flipped Benny over his shoulder, pinning the squirming dragon’s face to the dusty ground with his foot as his clear, blue eyes immediately lifted above the cheering crowd to find Dean.  Dean stilled when they found him, his distress forgotten as the panting dragon seemed to hold him in place with the intensity of his stare. Then Castiel let Benny up from the ground, backing off quickly as the rust colored dragon rolled to his feet with a snarl and another bellow of rage.  As Castiel stepped back he shrank, his mottled blue scales shifting into tanned skin, his long snout into a human face, though the black spikes along his joints and back stayed.  He flapped his wings twice to leap away from Benny, still in his dragon form and still fuming over his defeat, and Dean was immediately caught by how beautiful and even more massive his wings seemed relative to his half-human form.

“Castiel is the victor,” his father bellowed by his side.  Dean hadn’t even noticed his father stand up, he was so concentrated on the action playing out below him.  John grabbed Dean’s hand and lifted it into the air. “Castiel has proven himself worthy of bonding with my son!”

Dean felt numb as the Sky Clan erupted in cheers and whooping, in stark contrast to the polite clapping and occasional curses of the Earth dragonlings scattered throughout the cave.

Castiel stood perfectly still, naked in his recently shifted form, and watched John and Dean as they climbed down the rock to the arena.  Dean could feel his eyes on him.

Every year, the allied dragon clans gathered to celebrate the New Year.  It was a joyous week for most, time for separated family to reconvene, for older people to share news in their land and strategize against the other monster clans. It was also a time for the younger dragonlings to befriend children in other clans, and older single dragonlings to comb through their prospects from other clans if they had no prospects from their own clan.  

Castiel and Dean had been sort-of friends when they were younger.  Dean thoughtlessly climbed too high in a tree one day while he was playing with Sam and other dragonling’s of his own age from different clans, and when he finally looked back to shout something to Sammy he was hit with vertigo and panic as he realized how far he’d strayed from the safe ground.  Earth dragons were weakened by separation from their element, just as Sky dragons were strengthened by taking to the air.  Castiel, a few years older and at the time far larger and stronger, peeled his trembling body from its death grip on the tree trunk and carried Dean to the ground.  From that day on, the older dragon paid obvious attention to Dean, and Dean, grateful to the older dragon for saving him, always made sure to say hello and at least ask how he was doing, though their conversations were awkward enough that they never lasted long. As he aged, Castiel’s too-long stares started to mean something else, and his awkward way of speaking bothered Dean more.  He realized slowly that Castiel was interested in him, and not in the casual way he could remedy with a quick roll in the sack.  So he started ignoring him, stopped speaking with him at the New Year, and beyond the occasional prickling at his neck when he felt the other dragon’s creepy stare on him, he forgot about him.

Even though Dean was attracted to men, he also found women appealing. Like many like him in the dragon clans, he was heavily pushed towards pursuing his interest in women over his interest in men, as births were rare and deaths due to scuffles and battles with other creature clans common _._  Indeed, his father would not have blessed a marriage between himself and another man if it couldn’t lead to conception, as he was supposed to carry on the line of Chiefs. Castiel, on the other hand, seemed to care little to nothing about this pressure by the clan elders to pick a fertile partner back when everyone expected Dean to present as an alpha and Castiel did nothing to try to hide his interest in him.  Back then, Dean figured it was easier on both of them if they just went their separate ways.  Before two weeks ago, Dean was swimming in interested suitors his father would approve; as the next in line for the Chief of the Earth Clan, not to mention he wasn’t bad looking if he did say so himself, nearly every dragon girl his age was interested in him as a potential mate.

That list of suitors dropped from innumerable to three when news of Dean’s omega status spread throughout the clans: Alistair, whose letter of intent John tore up on sight and spent an hour raging at the scribe in composition of a letter he ended up tearing up too (the Dark dragons weren’t allies by a long shot and John had no idea how Alistair had heard of Dean’s urgent call for a mate), Benny, who Dean was pretty sure tossed his name in the hat out of sympathy and a deep sense of loyalty to Dean instead of romantic feelings (which didn’t sound exactly ideal for Dean in terms of a life-long mate), and Castiel.  Castiel was the quickest to respond to the mating request John sent out to the allied dragons, though his letter simply read “I, Castiel Novak of the Sky Clan, declare my interest in bonding with Dean Winchester of the Earth Clan”, which seemed fairly unenthused compared to Benny’s letter, wherein the dragon lavished Dean with praise and compliments.

Still, Dean wasn’t in a position to be picky about his potential mates anymore, especially not when a second unmated heat promised excruciating pain and temperatures of dangerous levels.  In his depressed state, he’d ok’d both Benny and Castiel’s letters with an attitude of hopelessness, not caring one way or another and definitely not caring enough to decide between the two. He’d quickly sobered out of that attitude when the duel date approached and reality started to solidify. He really started to panic when the Sky Clan arrived at their caves to show their support for Castiel. Truthfully, if he had truly disliked Castiel, his father would not have pressed him to follow the ancient traditions and allow Castiel to battle his other suitor.

As Dean’s feet hit the ground of the arena, he felt more stable inside but not any less nervous.  He followed his father across the arena to the continued sounds of cheering, mostly from the Sky Clan, stopping first at Benny’s side.  The dragonling had morphed to his human state and was busy wiping dirt and grime from the side of his face Castiel shoved into the ground when John approached him.

“My son.”  John clasped Benny’s hand and the dragonling lowered his eyes in respect. “You fought well. May you be the victor in the battle for the mate you are bound to by destiny.”

Benny bowed his head and murmured “It was an honor, my chief.”  Up close, Dean could see that Benny’s injuries were numerous, but none terribly serious. His shoulder looked dislocated, and there was a hiss to his breath that Dean didn’t miss, but the medics could fix him easily if that was the case.  Even in the ancient days, suitors were not permitted to fight to the death, as dragon numbers had always been few and children rare.  John bent to kiss his forehead.

“A worthy suitor for my son.  I regret the outcome of this match will stay a man I would be proud to call family.”  His father told Benny this quietly enough that only he and Dean could hear over the cheering.  Benny nodded again, his eyes still turned downward in a sign of fealty.

John patted his hand once before he released it and beckoned for Dean to come forward.  Dean kissed Benny’s forehead as was the tradition, oddly the most physical expression of affection that had yet passed between them in their lifetime of friendship.  Benny reached for and squeezed Dean’s hand, and Dean almost let himself believe that Benny hadn’t just fought in this arena out of pity and outrage that Dean received so few letters of intent.  If he wasn’t obviously trying to prove something, Dean might have believed he actually wanted to mate with him.

As it was, he was relieved on his friend’s behalf that he’d lost this match.  Dean firmly believed there was someone in Benny’s future that he would feel more for than pity.  He wasn’t too thrilled for what any of this meant for his own future away from the clan he grew up with.

Dean followed his father next to Castiel, covered now with a blue tunic Gabriel and Michael, his two brothers, brought for after his match.  They were still hugging their brother the victor, exclaiming words of congratulations that Dean couldn’t make out over the noise of the other dragons in the echoing cave.

Castiel was smiling, something Dean hadn’t seen very frequently at the New Year’s holiday. From a distance – he seemed like a serious person from a distance. He didn’t look at Dean this time when he snapped to attention, instead focusing on John as the two approached.  His whole form straightened in respect for the clan leader.  The crowd fell silent to hear the Chieftain’s words.

“Castiel Novak of the Sky Clan, I acknowledge your victory.  You fought as fiercely as a hurricane.  Your scales burn bright, as I’m sure the hearth of yours and my son’s home will burn, if he accepts your conquest.”

Dean’s mouth dried up at the expectant silence. Two clans worth of dragonlings turned their eyes on him. If he truly found Castiel unappealing, this was his chance to deny their union. Mating matches were usually used to sort out suitors the omega in question found equally viable, whether by personal preference or due to tribal laws, but no one would force Dean to mate with a man he didn’t approve. A tattoo in Enochian on Castiel’s chest, toned and covered in gleaming sweat as it heaved with exertion, caught his eye in that heart-pounding moment.  It simply read “freedom in choice”.

Dean remembered his heat, writhing on the floor for hours, begging his friends to put him out of his misery.  He’d been half convinced he would burst into flames at any second to burn to death, and he’d heard of other omegas who died from the high temperature of their bodies.  He couldn’t go through that again.

Dean figured that someone with those words tattooed over their heart couldn’t be too horrible of a mate.  Castiel, what he remembered of the young dragonling back when they used to talk, was a kind and thoughtful dragon, even if he was… awkward and weird.

“I do.”  Dean felt his lips tremble as the words passed through them to the sound of roaring applause, this time from both the Sky Clan and the Earth Clan.  He stepped forward and placed his hands on Castiel’s damp, sturdy shoulders.  The dragon was quite dirty, dust sticking to his sweaty body and mixing to create dark smudges of mud along his abdomen, arms, and legs.  Castiel closed his eyes and Dean leaned in to kiss his forehead before he lowered his mouth to slant it across the other dragonling’s in a chaste kiss.  He felt Castiel grip at his clothes gently, and his lips followed him, just for a second, as Dean drew back.  Then he opened his eyes and Dean was reminded of just how uncomfortable the other dragon’s unwavering gaze made him feel. He wondered with sudden dismay if he would ever be attracted to his future mate, let alone care for him as true mates did.  Many of the omegas he’d talked to who had to commit to “speed matings” due to the unexpected timing of their first heat had reassured him he’d grow to love his mate if he chose a good person, regardless of his romantic feelings for him at the time. Benny and Castiel were both decent people, though neither of them were his top choices by any means before this whole fiasco started.

 

 

“Let us feast!”  John threw his hands in the air to more applause and whooping from the crowd of dragons.  “Then we shall send them on their way to consummate the mating.”

A stab of fear hit Dean at the thought of “consummating the mating”. Most of his sexual experience was with women, mostly because women who were interested in him were easier to come by than men who were interested in him.  He’d made out with Aaron from the Desert Clan when he was drunk one New Years, but omega and alpha sex was different from the undesignated sex he’d taken pleasure in up until that point.  He wasn’t sure he would enjoy it, and that terrified him to his core.

Both Gabriel and Michael flooded him with unexpected hugs and kisses on the cheek, their wings tangling in their efforts to get to him first, followed by what seemed like the entire Sky Clan who were all eager to welcome him into their tribe.  He withstood about fifty kisses and hugs from strangers before John took them both by the shoulder and led them to stand in front of Naomi, the Sky Clan’s chief.

“Do you accept my son into your clan, to treat him with the respect and dignity of any other, to feed him in his hunger, and treat him in his sickness?”

“I do.”  Naomi nodded stiffly. Dean had heard she was legendarily ruthless, so he didn’t completely believe her. “Let us feast.”

John clapped them both on their shoulders again as another round of cheering hit the air.

Deer and fish were welcome delights, the preferred food of the Earth and Sky clans respectively.  Luckily, Dean sat on one side of Naomi and Cas sat on the right side of John at another table, so Dean didn’t need to have the awkward “hey I guess we’re mates now even though I avoided you for years” conversation with Cas in front of everyone. He did have to try to get to know Cas’s family and clan, though.  Sam, Joanna, Ellen and Robert all sat nearby Castiel and John, and the same was expected of him, as dictated by tradition.

Gabriel asked Dean mostly offensive questions, which Dean eventually started to cut off with low growls and passive-aggressive passing of bowls of food to people who hadn’t asked for second helpings.  Michael seemed the most rational, though he was certainly full of himself.  Lucifer scared the shit out of him.  Anna was quiet and thoughtful in her responses, which Dean enjoyed most of all.  

Music.  Dancing.  It all passed in a blur. Castiel and Dean shared an obligatory mating dance that felt awkward and strange under the pressure of everyone’s eyes, but they got through it.  John reached a level of drunk where Mary was forced to scold him more than once for his impulsive actions.  Dean did not almost cry in his mother’s arms as she drew him from the busy party to pull him into a fierce hug and whisper in his ear how much she was going to miss him .

Sam found him moping in the woods just outside the caverns not long after that.

“It doesn’t take this long to piss in the woods, Dean” Sam sighed as he sat down next to Dean on the ground.  Dean grinned half-heartedly.

“He’s weird, Sam.  He’s really weird.”  Dean muttered, rubbing his hand over his face.

Sam shrugged next to him.

“You’re weird. And lame.”

“Whatever, I’m just too cool for you.”  Dean poked back, though it was a weak effort.

“What’s done is done, Dean. You could have rejected him twice, but you didn’t, you accepted him.  Now it’s time to accept your own choices.”

“Nothing about this is a choice.”  Dean grumbled.

“Yeah, life’s not fair,” Sam agreed, “but I’m glad my brother won’t be in danger of burning himself to death with his own heat next month.”

“Yeah.”  Dean sighed.  He pushed himself to his feet and followed Sam back into the ceremony.

 

* * *

 

 

“A mating bed has been prepared for you, in the highest cave open to the outside air to celebrate the union of Earth and Sky.”  John drew them both under his arms as the feast started to wind down and people began to retire to their homes and temporary sleeping quarters for the night

“Uh.  Mating bed.  Right,” he muttered as Castiel nodded next to him, his hand slipping casually around Dean’s waist.  Another wave of panic hit Dean at the thought.

“I know of the cave.  I was informed of it upon arrival and led to its location.”  Castiel answered in that strange, too-formal way that seemed to just be his style of speaking.  John nodded.

“I will carry you there.”  Castiel turned, his other arm winding easily around Dean’s waist.  Before Dean could protest, those powerful, magnificent wings beat the air twice and they lifted from the ground.

John raised a hand in tiding, as did Naomi.  What remained of the crowd from both clans whooped and cheered.  Someone shouted something along the lines of “happy humping” to a chorus of laughter.

Dean felt like a child again, being lifted into the arms of a stranger he couldn’t see.  As a dragon of the Earth, he didn’t know if he would ever feel safe or whole flying.  Castiel held him tightly to his body, and the dragon flew the way he fought - gracefully and with purpose – so Dean wasn’t as afraid as when he’d climbed too high in that tree all those years ago. His fear of heights had only intensified from that experience, so he’d avoided them ever since then.

That didn’t mean that when they landed at the cave, Dean’s heart wasn’t racing and his head spinning from flying. Castiel didn’t release Dean immediately.  It was the first time they’d spoken since Castiel arrived at the Caves and greeted Dean and his father.  Castiel had focused his attention on John then, as the Clan leader, rather than Dean.  

“Thank you for approving my request.”  Castiel said suddenly, that terrifying gaze on Dean again, this time close enough that Dean could see the porous threads of different shades of blue in Castiel’s irises.

“Thanks for… sending it?”  Dean struggled with his words.  Castiel had already formally thanked him, but his tone of voice was far more intimate at this distance and the context of their location.

“I’ve wanted to send one for years.”  Castiel said softly, his thumbs brushing over Dean’s hips tentatively.  “I knew you would reject it before, but then you presented as omega, and it was as though my prayers had been answered.  I heard you speaking with your friends at the New Years, saying you would never mate another of your gender- it had to be an omega.  I hoped your attitude toward alphas had changed with your new designation.”

Dean winced at the memory.  How the tables had turned on him.  It certainly was a popular prejudice among his former suitors.

“Yeah, that kind of blew up in my face.  Well, pretty obviously.”  Dean shrugged. It felt like embracing a stranger, but he couldn’t exactly tell his new mate that he wanted to limit their touching as much as possible, especially considering what they were up there to do.

Castiel seemed to sense his discomfort because he stepped back.

Dean shifted on his feet as they stood there in silence, the sound of the wind at the cave entrance in their ears.

“Sorry,” Dean blurted out.  Maybe Sam was right and Castiel wasn’t the only weirdo around. “Sorry I ignored you. I knew you wanted me, and… I didn’t think anything I said about it was going to change your mind.”

“I know.”  Castiel nodded with a sigh.  He lowered his eyes to the ground.  “That’s why I didn’t try to talk to you when you stopped speaking to me.”

Dean shifted again, rubbed at his face, and decided he had to toughen up a little bit and face this level of awkward head on.

“Look, I’ve heard great things about you from everyone,” Dean shrugged.  “And you helped me out that one time, when I was –”

“- when you were stuck in the tree, yes I recall.”  Castiel smiled slightly.  His wings shifted, and the dark feathers and glittering scales distracted Dean from the situation.  Castiel was... well he wasn’t hard to look at, that was for sure.

“I know this situation is not ideal for you.”  Castiel gestured between them with his hand, sounding defeated.

“Hey, you’re kind of saving me from blistering agony and possibly burning to death, so I’m not complaining.” Dean forced a smile to his face.  He gestured at the pile of furs draped over an obscene number of cushions farther into the cave.  “You want to, you know…”  Dean’s throat went dry at the thought, leaving only silence pregnant with meaning.

Castiel watched him for a moment, then tilted his head to the side.

“When you pictured this before your heat, how did it go?”

Dean rubbed the back of his head.  A stab or disappointment hit him as he thought of himself sweeping Lisa off her feet and pinning her against the wall. They would have gone at it all night, like animals.

“Does it matter? That’s not how things turned out.”

“I saw you cheering for Benny.” Castiel admitted, his shoulders slumping, the black ridges along his joints glittering with the motion.  “Why didn’t you just pick him to begin with?  Why the match?”

Dean immediately regretted his actions at the disheartened look in Castiel’s face, though the other dragon was trying his best to seem unaffected.

“I was panicking, thinking of leaving my friends behind.”   _And I knew that to Benny I would have been a mistake.  At least you’re romantically interested in me._

Castiel nodded.

“You wanted to stay with Benny so you wouldn’t have to leave your clan?”

Dean nodded quietly.  A pause, then Castiel clarified, “Then you do find me… appealing?”

Dean considered him.  He was still sweaty and dirty from the match, a little scratched and bruised here and there, but he imagined his naked body; his toned, thick waist and long, strong legs… and those wings. Dean nodded.

A slight grin twisted Castiel’s lips.

“So you were trained to be a chief?  You can fight, then.”

“Yes.”  He was trying, really trying, not to seem disappointed or depressed or any of the things he actually was, because Castiel had just taken a beating in his name, but the reminder of the life he’d just lost stabbed him in the gut.

“I’m trained as a hunter and a guard.”  Castiel flashed a smile at him.  “Care to test who’s better in a fight?”

“You just finished fighting, I’m sure you’re exhausted,” Dean reasoned.  As he watched Benny and Castiel fight he’d wondered just the same thing, though.  He’d sparred with almost all of fighter friends – clans were small, and they all had to practice somehow, so they practiced with their friends under the watchful eye of the elders.

“I’ve rested, and eaten well.  I’m ready for another round.”  Castiel grinned and reached to strip the thin blue tunic from his body.  Dean watched as the tunic fell to reveal his naked body.  They’d seen each other naked before at the hot springs during New Years, and nudity was pretty commonplace in a tribe of shapeshifters. Dean wasn’t uncomfortable with nudity, but in the context of the mating bed off to their right it took on a different meaning.  He couldn’t help but look between the alpha’s legs and notice the ridges along his cock jeweled with blue sapphires growing organically out of the flesh. 

Castiel’s slitted pupils flashed as he tossed his tunic on the floor, straightened, and slipped one foot back in a fighting stance.

“I can use those against you,” Castiel nodded at Dean’s clothes.

“I know.”  Dean bit back, embarrassed by how nervous the sight of Castiel’s body made him, and how nervous he was to undress in front of him. Castiel didn’t even glance over him as he stripped down, but the moment his clothes hit the floor, he pounced.

“Cheater!”  Dean exclaimed as he narrowly dove out of the way.  Castiel caught himself easily and pivoted to lunge again.  Without the element of surprise, however, Dean was on equal footing with the other dragonling. He parried and dodged each attack, and neither managed to land a blow on the other.  Castiel’s hits were weak, more playful than serious, and Dean caught a grin on his face more than once.  Dean returned the favor and softened his blows – Castiel was already bruised and battered enough from the fight with Benny.  As shapeshifters they healed quickly and didn’t break as easily, but Dean had no intention of further injuring his mate. Castiel already had a inches-long gash on his back from the spike on Benny’s tail – Dean had watched medics sew up and bandage it while Castiel spoke with Dean’s family over dinner.

His polite caution got the best of him, though, and Castiel landed a punch to his gut that winded him enough to give Castiel an opportunity to duck into his space, and shove him, hard, into the cave wall.

Dean hit the rock and moss with a heavy thump that resonated through the cave, stunning him a second time.

Then Castiel was so close Dean could feel his body heat, hands slamming the rock on either side of Dean’s head. His eyes burned into Dean as he leaned in; Dean suddenly felt paralyzed under them. When he was close enough that their noses almost touched, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Desire spark through Dean at the sexual act, heightened by the closeness of the sweaty alpha. To Dean’s immediate dismay, slick started between his cheeks.

Castiel’s eyes flicked open, dilating as he inhaled again.  He looked pleased at the evidence that Dean’s body accepted him.  Slowly, as though giving Dean the opportunity to swat him away if he wanted, he brought his hand up to Dean, trailing his touch along his shoulder. Dean’s breath hitched as the other dragon flattened his palm against Dean’s shoulder and captured his eye again. The air caught fire with electricity and Dean’s breath hitched in his throat as Castiel stared at him with purpose and intensity.

Everything lit up with agony as hunger awakened deep in his gut. The contrast between the excruciating pain and familiar, pleasurable hunger spun Dean’s head and Dean desperately clutched at the other dragonling.  When Castiel withdrew his hand, Dean’s skin smoked and glowed red for a moment before it quickly cooled to a charred black tone.

Dean cut off the yell in his throat, biting his lip and trying to calm his breathing as he fought for control of his senses.

“It is done,” Castiel whispered, his awe obvious.  Dean hissed through his teeth, a tidal wave of emotions battling for control inside him – throbbing pain, on the one hand, that faded with each passing second, and that hot hunger in the pit of his stomach.

“I think…” Dean panted, “I think… you triggered… my heat.”

“With my claim?” Castiel asked, placing both hands on Dean’s cheeks.  “You are hot.”

“Thanks.”  Dean managed with a weak grin.  Castiel chuckled weakly, but the worry in his eyes didn’t recede at Dean’s joke.

“Are you all right?”  Castiel asked quietly, pressing his palm to Dean’s forehead.  Then he was flat on his ass from a swift and powerful shove to the chest, and Dean stood over him with a smile on his face.

“Cheater.”  Castiel growled, his shock fading to a slight smile.

“Yeah, sucks doesn’t it?”  Dean taunted before he turned his attention to check out his new mating mark.  A handprint on his shoulder wasn’t exactly on his list of must-have tattoos, but if that was Castiel’s mating mark then he would have to deal with it.  He did choose him, after all.

Dean had to move quickly as Castiel got to his feet, going on offense rather than defense.  He was better on offense, but apparently Castiel was also better on defense.  Before he knew it, Castiel had used the momentum from his lunge to toss him on the mating bed, skidding to a halt on the soft furs of various animals.

“Dean… you smell…” Castiel murmured as he climbed on the bed after him.  Dean could have pretended to keep the sparring match up, but that mark had really done a number on him and his hole was throbbing with need, his cheeks sliding against one another with slick at every movement.  He stayed down, on his stomach, and watched Castiel approach him.  He was definitely nervous, but not enough to restart the fight.

Castiel seemed to sense his compliance because he climbed immediately on the backs of Dean’s thighs, just below his ass, and ran his hands reverently along Dean’s back, tickling the area around his spine ridges as he did so.

Dean jolted at the feel of the heat pressing between his cheeks, sliding between them easily.  Castiel pushed his cheeks together, grinding himself between them, and groaned loudly.

Dean looked over his shoulder, trying to relax into the _yes want please_ in his stomach and the stiffening of his erection, but he had to fight the swell of panic at the unfamiliar male form of his partner and his position.  The sight of Castiel’s naked body, the intense attention he was giving Dean’s ass as he thrust between his cheeks, sparked more panic in him.  Castiel noticed him watching and leaned over his body immediately to press a hot, panting kiss to Dean’s mouth.

Castiel moaned under his breath. “Wanted you for so long…” he whispered, his eyes searching Dean’s. He swiped a hand along Dean’s jaw before he rolled his hips again, rubbing against Dean’s tender hole with the underside of his cock as he slipped between his cheeks.

A shuddering sigh escaped Dean as Castiel began thrusting rhythmically but slowly.  He was surprised by how turned on he was, how much he enjoyed being at the mercy of the other dragonling.  He found himself grinding back into the other dragon’s thrusts, his hole throbbing pleasurably at each rub and catch.

Castiel wrapped his hands around Dean’s wrists and hauled Dean up on the bed, holding both his wrists above his head and in one hand as he adjusted himself to really angle into Dean’s ass.

Then fingers prodded at him.  Dean shut his eyes, his nerves amping up, and readied himself, his whole body tensing.  Instead of a harsh shock of pain as he’d been expecting, something warm and wet moved over his hole. Dean jumped in surprise.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Castiel assured him, lapping at Dean’s slick and delving his tongue inside.  Dean moaned, muffled by the bedspread as he clenched at the sheets and arched into the warmth of Castiel’s tongue.  Castiel groaned against his ass as Dean pushed back into him, his erection hanging heavily between his legs.  Castiel gripped his hips to keep him in position as obscene slurping noises reached Dean’s ears.

“You are on fire inside, like the bowels of the Earth,” Castiel panted as he drew back for breath.  “Sky dragons are cold.  You will burn me up when I take you.”

Dean craned his neck to get a good look at his partner, the tone of his words a mystery.

“What, so you don’t want me…?”  A grunt of indignance cut off his words and Castiel pounced on him to cover his whole body with his own.  He kissed Dean harshly, and Dean tasted his own slick as their tongues met.  Castiel shoved his hand between them, his fingers replacing his tongue and rubbing at the inside of Dean until Dean shuddered and gasped when he found his prostate.  Castiel rubbed him there for several moments until he pulled out of him, to Dean’s faint protests.

“I will have you, even if I go up in flames,” he muttered, spreading Dean’s knees with his own and positioning himself at Dean’s entrance.  A hand on Dean’s neck pushed his face down into the mattress while Castiel yanked his hips up to meet his cock.

As Castiel pushed into him, Dean remembered the jeweled ridges along his cock, and he felt every one catch and slip past his rim.  The sensation of fullness was alien for him, but not bad.  Castiel ground into him experimentally and he yelped through a pulse of pleasure in his ass. Castiel stroked a hand down the ridges on his spine lovingly, resting on the pattern of jeweled spikes along his lower back.  As he paused to give Dean time to adjust to his size, he commented, “These are beautiful,” while tracing the design.  Dean flushed – the pattern looked decidedly feminine, all elegant curves and gentle slopes. Benny had deemed it his organic “tramp stamp”.  In retrospect, he should have suspected he was omega after that blossomed on his back between fifteen and sixteen – omegas were known for more feminine natural body designs.

Castiel leaned forward and braced his hands on either side of Dean’s on the bed, bringing his chest flush against Dean’s back.  Dean gasped as the first stroke had him on his stomach against the bed, knees gone weak and elbows giving under the wave of pleasurable heat that pulsed through his body.

Castiel snarled at Dean’s violent reaction, wrapping his hands under Dean’s body and pumping into him even more vigorously.  Dean for his part tried to just hold on through the primal mating, his mind blanking as Cas shoved him into the bed, pinned his hands above his head, and pounded into him until Dean was a whining, struggling mess of throbbing heat and spread knees.

 

Castiel slowed to a gentle rock at one pained moan in particular, when the jewels on Castiel’s cock caught and scratched at something inside of him. He nibbled tenderly on his ear and neck as he allowed Dean to get his hands and knees back under him.  Dean wobbled and almost fell back to his stomach as he felt a second… _something_ press in next to Castiel’s cock, stretching him to the point of pain.

“Ahhh, Cas, stop…” Dean hissed, and immediately the alpha paused.  He nuzzled at the back of Dean’s neck, panting into his damp skin.

“Dean,” Cas whispered against him, “let me try.”

Dean ducked his head and squeezed his eyes as the slow drag resumed.  Dean wondered what it was, as it was too large for a finger and too solid for a hand, but he was preoccupied with trying to relax for the intruder.  When Castiel finally managed to push whatever it was in to his satisfaction, Dean opened his eyes and peered over his shoulder.  Deep blue scales had blossomed in a pattern over Cas’s face and shoulders, his back ridges protruding into sharper spikes, and his hands were scaled claws.  Dark, ominous wings spread out over them, balancing against the bed.

Between Castiel’s spread knees his arching, half-formed tail curved down. Dean gasped as it wiggled inside of him. 

 “How does that feel?”  Castiel asked, breathless against Dean’s ear.  Dean bit back a loud moan as Cas withdrew his cock slightly.

“Full,” Dean choked out. “Full, I feel so full.”

Castiel bit at his ear hard and Dean cried out at the conflicting sensations.

“You like it?” he asked, his voice a delicious rumble throughout Dean’s body.

Dean couldn’t answer.  He arched into the incredible sensation as Castiel started alternating the motions of his cock and his tail.

“Dean.”  Castiel panted into his ear.  Dean couldn’t keep his moans from the air, it was all too much, too new, too overwhelming.  Castiel’s damp, strong chest against his back turned him on, the sensation of being caged surprisingly stimulating.  Castiel’s clawed hand slipped under Dean to wrap around his cock, and all the tugging and pushing was suddenly far too much.  Dean keened as a fierce orgasm ripped through him and he fell flat on his stomach again. Castiel snarled in approval next to his ear as he thrust in time to the throbbing in his ass.  Dean howled through his orgasm, punctuated by Castiel’s rhythmic thrusts to his prostate.

Dean thought he passed out as his orgasm came to an end and his body suddenly felt weightless, his eyes shut tight against the last immense waves of pleasure.

Then he felt the wall against his cheek and stomach and – wait, wall?  Yeah, it was the cave wall, mossy and hard.  Dean opened his eyes to realize the pumping sound originated from Castiel’s wings beating the air as he pressed him against the wall of the cave above their mating bed.

Dean breathed a sigh of relief as first the tail and then Castiel’s cock withdrew from his used, stretched body, leaving him limp in Castiel’s strong arms.  Castiel flipped him so Dean’s back was to the wall, which meant he had to face his mate.  Castiel’s pupils were slits in this form, the impossibly blue iris swallowing much of the white of his partially human eyes.

He kissed him surprisingly tenderly, an intimate, passionate expression that made Dean squirm inside. Then he pinned Dean bodily to the wall as he hauled both his legs onto his shoulders, crushing Dean into the wall.

 

 

Dean threw his head back as Castiel once again entered him easily, relaxed from his orgasm. It felt like heaven when he slid into place.  It didn’t take long at all for Castiel to work himself up again.

“You gonna come?”  Dean gasped as Castiel’s pace escalated, from slow and deep to fast and hard.

“You are irresistible,” Castiel caught his open mouth in a wet kiss.  “I will not last much longer.”

 “I’m ready.”  Dean groaned, leaning his head back against the wall, riding the leftover sensation of euphoria. “I’m ready for your knot.”

“Yes.”  Castiel whispered excitedly, slamming into him in a way that jerked Dean into another desperate kiss between them.  “Yes, mark you up inside.”  Castiel dragged his long tongue up Dean’s neck, ending with a nip to his ear.  “Make you mine.”

“Yours.”  Dean agreed, nodding eagerly.  Now that Castiel said it, yes, he wanted it.  In the basest, most inexplicable way, he wanted his alpha to claim him as his own.

Castiel bit his neck as he sank into him one last time, throbbing and swelling into an extremely satisfying pressure.  Dean groaned at the second sensation of feeling full, so full, but in a more organic sense. Castiel’s knot just felt _right;_   Dean felt complete.  When Cas slumped against him he wrapped his arms around his lover’s exhausted form as they slowly slid down to the bed.

They collapsed the last few inches into a heap of panting, sweating mess.  Castiel’s dragon features retreated slowly, his tail drawing up into his body and his scales smoothing into human skin.

Dean couldn’t let go, couldn’t squash the light, bubbly feeling in his chest at his alpha slumped and sated against his chest, tied with him.  He physically could not stop himself hugging the other dragonling to his chest, couldn’t keep from burying his nose in Cas’s dark, fine hair.

“You are… incredible.”  Castiel panted against his chest.  Dean flushed and mumbled something, he didn’t know what, but it was definitely incoherent.  Castiel chuckled, kissing his chest before haggardly drawing himself up on his elbows as though heaving a thousand pounds up with him.

“Did you… was that adequate?”  Castiel asked, his tone tinged with worry as he looked between Dean’s green eyes.  Dean almost gaped at him in response, considering he’d nearly passed out with the force of his orgasm.

“Cas, I didn’t even… I mean, it was… I didn’t know it could be like that, to be honest.”  Dean mumbled, a flush rising to his cheeks as he willed himself to play it cool, to untangle his arms from around Castiel’s shoulders. He couldn’t do either, for whatever reason

“Didn’t know what could be like what?”  Castiel asked slowly, tilting his head in confusion.  He brushed a sweet kiss over Dean’s lips before he let him answer.

“I didn’t know _sex_ could be… like _that_.”

“Like… what?”  Castiel asked, a faint smile on the edge of his lips.  “You liked it?”

“Yeah,” Dean said simply. “As far as firsts go, it wasn’t half bad.”

Castiel stiffened in his arms. “Firsts?”

Dean swallowed heavily.  “You know, with a guy.”

Castiel’s eyes widened almost comically.  “That was your first time… _ever_ … with a man?”

Dean shrugged and looked away because Castiel was still a stiff board in his arms and this was rapidly getting awkward again.  Dean desperately didn’t want it to, especially after their mind-blowing sex.

“Dean, I’m terribly sorry.”

Dean blinked and looked back at Castiel.  Castiel’s eyes were closed and his expression twisted in mortification.

“What?” Dean wondered aloud.  “You’re ok, Cas.”

“Cas?” Castiel asked quietly, his eyes cracking open slowly.

“Oh, yeah… I call you that, in my head,” Dean explained cautiously. “What are you apologizing for?” 

A faint blush colored his cheeks, but he said in that grave, low tone of his, “It was your first time, and I treated you as if you were well practiced.  I should have been far gentler.  I made assumptions based on how popular you were, and I shouldn’t have.”  Castiel pulled his body away from Dean’s, as much as he could with them tied.  Dean let go because he had to with this new distance and watched with confusion as Castiel’s whole body went tense.

“Whoah, hey, calm down, there.”  Dean held up his hands, “I’m fine, and that was… ok, it was awesome.  Alright?  Awesome.”

“Dean, please, you don’t have to try to spare my feelings.  God, I probably hurt you,” Castiel moaned, lowering his eyes in shame, his shoulders a tense line.

Dean yanked his chin down to press their lips together, demanding his attention.  Castiel resisted at first, but then sank into the kiss tentatively with a wistful sigh.

“It was… rough and hard, and I liked it, ok?”  Dean clarified, too loud in his embarrassment.

Castiel was quiet, searching Dean for signs of deceit.

“You liked it?” he asked suspiciously.

“Can we move past this already?” Dean asked, shoving playfully at Castiel’s chest.  “I bet I can give you a run for your money on round two. I might be getting used to all the new, wet piping that comes with being omega, but I’m no blushing virgin, ok?  Don’t go soft on me now.”

 “I am not soft.”  Castiel ground into him minutely with his enormous girth and Dean groaned at the feeling before he caught himself.  “That’s quite obvious, Dean.”

“It’s- Cas, it’s supposed to be a metaphor – you know what, never mind.”  Dean rolled his eyes. He surged up and into another kiss because Cas’s lips were right there and they were so flushed and beautiful so why not? “It was good,” Dean pulled him back against his chest as they separated, running a hand through his damp hair.  “We’re good, ok?”

* * *

 

 Morning came too soon.  Dean woke but didn’t open his eyes, wishing away the fact that this day existed—that he had to leave his family today, and all the friends he’d grown up with.  He didn’t want to move, barely had the energy for it.

When he finally managed to sit up, leaning back on his hands, he noticed Castiel in his dragon form at the mouth of the cave, squatting and watching the outside world.  Dean’s feet hit the ground and he shivered at the cold, hopping more than walking over to Castiel’s side.

Their cave opened on a beautiful view of the valley, the rolling hills made from the tops of the trees and the Thems River spilling across the valley in an inky squiggle.  Directly below them, two Sky dragon children darted through the air, barking laughs and playfully tackling one another to the ground.

Castiel rumbled, and Dean looked over at him.  The larger dragon watched him with one crystal blue eye as he wrapped his tail slowly around Dean’s waist and pulled the dragonling into his side.  His scales were smooth and cool to the touch, but even though Castiel’s body did nothing to help Dean warm up in the brisk morning air it was nice to feel his chest expand with each breath against his skin.  Dean lifted his arm to place it around Castiel’s back, for which he earned another rumble and a gentle stroke along his arm from Castiel’s tail.

“Mornin’,” Dean grinned, his words soft.  The dragon rumbled again and blinked sleepily at him.

“What are you doing all scaled up?”  Dean asked, watching as one dragon below them tackled the other to the ground in a squealing, giggling mess and both of them emerged after rolling to a stop as naked kids around the age of ten.

Beneath his arm, the smooth scales warmed into human skin.

“It’s annoying to try to carry on a conversation with someone when you don’t have a human mouth,” Castiel grumbled, weaving both arms under Dean’s and pressing a slow kiss to his lips.  Dean relaxed into it; Castiel’s touch seemed to help him unclench inside.

“Yeah, I noticed,” Dean commented lightly.  Castiel pressed another kiss to Dean’s lips.

“You ready?  For today?” he asked, his vibrant blue eyes searching Dean’s.  Dean shrugged, the weight in his heart pulling him down.  Castiel smoothed his hands over Dean’s shoulders, rubbing him comfortingly.

If Dean were the older of the two, if he already had an established role in his clan, then Castiel would have stayed in the caves with the Earth Clan.  He would have been the one to make the adjustment to a new tribe and mourn the loss of his relatives and friends.  As their position stood, Dean was suddenly washed out of a leadership position he’d been preparing all his life.  He could still work in the guard with Castiel in his new clan, but he couldn’t lead if he wanted to carry and raise his own children, as was Clan tradition— a tradition Dean now questioned.  One of them would mourn either way, so it might as well be him.

“I’m ready.”  He tired not to sound as depressed as he clearly was.

Dean dressed, and Castiel transformed to his dragon form to carry him down to the lower levels of the cave network. Sam was already up and waiting for him, sitting on a rock with several bags worth of his packed things by him.  He stood when Dean’s feet touched the ground.  Sam almost immediately swept him up into a strong embrace, beating his back.  His eyes were wet when he stood back, but his mouth set in a firm, unbreakable line.

Dean wiped the tears from his own eyes and tried to school his expression like his brother seemed to be able to do so easily.

John emerged from the depths of the cave, looking between them with confusion.

“He’s not dying, Sam.  We’ll see him again at New Year’s, and at Chief meetings with the Sky Clan.”

“Right.”  Sam muttered, but his expression didn’t change.

Mary pulled him into a hug that Dean let go on for as long as he could.  When he felt like his tears were about to dissolve into real sobs, he pulled back and distanced himself from his mother.  She pulled his face in with both hands and kissed both cheeks with trembling lips before she stepped back to John’s side.

John sent him away with a firm handshake and a hand through his hair, one of the warmer smiles he’d seen from his father as he nodded in goodbye.

Most of the tribe had shown up to wish Dean off, and he went down the line as Sky dragons courteously packed his things on other dragons and saddled Castiel up for Dean.  The saddle was obviously newly made, and designed specifically as a wedding present to the two of them. The Sky dragons had woven earthy tones and imagery into the patterns on the saddle. 

When all of Dean’s belongings were tied up and there weren’t any other preparations to be made, Dean carefully climbed up onto Castiel’s back.  He waved as the great sapphire wings beat the air and lifted them into the sky.

The wind stung his eyes as they took off, biting at the tear trails on his cheeks.  He wrapped the blanket stitched into the back of the saddle around his shoulders to stave off the cold.   Sky dragons were naturally cooler and at equilibrium with the high air, so luckily they’d been courteous enough to realize Dean was not like them.  With the blanket drawn tight in the front, he managed the ride.  He even fell asleep strapped into the saddle, and woke with a horrible crick in his back and neck when they stopped for lunch.

Dean had never wondered what the fuck to do with himself to quite this extent.  He didn’t know who to talk to, and he didn’t want to just follow Castiel around like a lost, mopey puppy.  Everyone seemed busy with their own duties, most setting out plates and unpacking food.  Everyone seemed to know their place without asking or feeling the way Dean did.  The elders shushed him away when he tried to help, telling him he’d had a “big enough day” and that he should rest, so he sat on a soft patch of grass alone and tried to quench the gaping hole in his chest.

“Why are you all the way over here?”  Castiel asked as he approached him, his head tilted to the side.

“They wouldn’t let me help.”  Dean muttered.

“Food’s ready now.”  Castiel replied quietly, his eyebrows creasing as he studied Dean closely.  Dean immediately felt self-conscious, so he stood and tried to edge past Cas.  Castiel caught him on the arm though and pulled Dean gently towards him.  Dean didn’t feel like touching, but he also didn’t want to cause a scene in front of his new clan.  

“I just want you to know that it’s alright for you to be sad.”  Castiel said softly, his thumb ghosting over the pulse point on Dean’s wrist.  “You can be sad for as long as you need.  I won’t complain if you still feel this way months from now, even in a year. I want you talk to me about it anytime without feeling shame.”

Dean didn’t know how to respond to that, so he looked at the ground.

“It’s cool,” he shrugged lamely.  “I’m fine.”

 “Dean,” Castiel said, his voice an even softer, rougher gravel.  Yeah, Dean liked his voice.  He liked a lot of things about Castiel already.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Dean shrugged again, tugging his wrist back.  Castiel stared at him wordlessly.  Dean didn’t move, torn between apologizing to Castiel and turning to continue to the food line and ignore Castiel completely.  But he couldn’t ignore his mate, just as Castiel couldn’t ignore him.  He couldn’t just reject Castiel’s offer for comfort because he was uncomfortable expressing himself to… anyone, really, even Sam.  “Thank you anyway.”  Dean had to force it out, but the sentiment was genuine. He did appreciate Castiel trying to watch out for him and paying attention to his moods. “I don’t really have anything to say about it right now.”  Dean gestured lamely.  Castiel just stood and watched him, patiently waiting for Dean to get his words out.  “Maybe I will.,, sometime.”

“Sometime,” Castiel agreed with a nod.  “As long as you know I’m here to listen, if you want.”

Dean nodded awkwardly, shoving his hands down his pockets.  Castiel just stared in response, and when Dean realized it was up to him to break the conversation, he couldn’t think of anything else to say so he just turned and got in line for food.

Castiel followed him this time, and at the end of the line he led them to a group of Sky dragonlings lounging in their half-morphed forms, tearing into the fish and bread with sharpened teeth and clawed hands.

Dean sat next to Cas in the loose ring of multicolored dragons. Most were different shades of blue or white so Dean stayed in his human form, as he already felt enough like a sore thumb without his green and gold scales in the sea of sky tones.

Balthazar, whom he’d met last night, leaned over to him and sniffed at his food almost as soon as he sat down.

“You got the rainbow trout?  That liar Samandriel told me they didn’t have any left!”

 “He probably saved it for Dean because rainbow trout are inland fish, so they don’t taste like the sea.  He was just being considerate, Balth.”  Anna spoke up, her golden eyes gleaming as she nibbled at her bread.  Anna’s wings were sunset tones, different from most of the others in the group, soft pinks and purples with splotches of blue.

“Is that true?  You don’t like sea-water fish?”  Michael tilted his head at Dean in a way that was so close to Castiel’s head tilt that Dean decided it was definitely a familial trait.  Dean shook his head.

“I bet you’ll get used to them.”  Balthazar smiled at him warmly.  “You just need a little time.”

Dean poked at his fish.  His appetite was less than nothing, but after the sweet dragon whose name he’d already forgotten saved a coveted food item just for him, he didn’t want to be rude.  He lifted the fish to his lips and bit in.  To his relief, it tasted better than the last time he’d tried to eat fish.  This fish was mild and buttery.

“We cooked it special for you, Earthy.”  Gabriel winked at him.  “Lots of butter.”

Dean nodded, a slight smile tingling his lips.  With more gusto, he finished the rest of his fish off, his stomach purring at the strange but delicious new kind of meal.

“I think you’ll learn to like sea fish in time.”  Michael observed.  “Remember how Gadreel was at first?  He threw up for weeks, but he adjusted.”

 “Yeah, as soon as we started spicing everything!”  Anna giggled.  “Then he was absolutely fine with whatever we put on his plate.”

 “Gadreel?”  Dean asked.

“He’s Metatron’s mate from the Fire Clan.”  Gabriel explained, sucking meat off of a fish bone.

“John sent along extra butter and milk for you, in case the diet adjustment gave you indigestion. We plan to mix it in with all your food at first.”  Castiel told him.

 “Great.”  Dean was a little taken aback by all the thought that went into his integration to the clan, though it warmed him up considerably.  Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

“You left the head.”  Balthazar was eyeing his plate again. “You don’t want it?”

“You eat the head of the fish?”  Dean wondered aloud, and he couldn’t keep the confusion from his face though he tried.

“The eyeballs are the best part!”  Balthazar exclaimed loudly, staring at Dean like he was an amusing new creature he’d discovered. Dean’s face twisted in a grimace before he checked himself.

Castiel chuckled with the rest of the group and took Dean’s plate from him. He cut the tail and head from the bones of his fish and scraped the bones onto his own plate, which was mostly bread and bones at this point as well.  Then he passed Dean’s plate over to Balthazar, who yelped with delight.

“The eyeballs pop in your mouth.”  Balthazar told him excitedly.  Dean grimaced again, to the laughter of the group.

“You don’t have to eat them.”  Castiel put a hand on his shoulder.  “Though maybe you could try them sometime.”

Dean smiled at him.  He was suddenly glad that Castiel had flipped Benny into the dirt and sought out his eyes in the crowd. He was glad Castiel pounced on him with such lust and passion as soon as helaid down on that bed.  He was glad it was Castiel at his side, watching out for him, helping him feel comfortable among strangers even though he was little more than a stranger to Dean due to Dean’s own efforts to push him away.  He hated life a little bit less in that moment, and maybe, with time, he’d hate it even less.   Maybe he’d grow to love these new people, this new life, and his new mate.

“Sometime, maybe.”

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
